The Scheme Of Things
by Strange Reaper
Summary: Superman vs The Supernatural. Even the Man Of Steel was vulnerable to mysterious forces, come see the new Chapter!
1. Foreword and Introduction

-Foreword-  
  
  
Hi! This is my first fic on the mighty Fanfiction.net, so I hope you get some fun outta reading it. It's pretty rough and ready but it's the result of a 30 hour writing rush!   
  
While Cry 'Havoc' And Let Loose The Dogs Of War is a Smallville fic, I crossed it over with Blade and Spawn (working from the movie versions of both characters) so a little knowledge of these dudes will be helpful. I've included a little background on Blade and Spawn folklore for the uninitiated Smallville fans.  
  
At the time I wrote this Smallville season 2 had not aired on New Zealand television, but thanks to Dulce (known on FF.net as rainshower) I pretty much know what's gonna happen in it. Dulce and pretty much everyone I know on here have posted millions of fix so this is a mere pittance to make me feel a bit better.   
  
If anything, I hope this story takes your mind off stuff for a little while. That's all I hope for when I write.   
  
Thanks for reading.  
  
  
Disclaimer: Spawn and Blade aren't mine. I think they're Todd McFarlane's and Stan Lee's. Guyz if you want me too, I'll take this down - I'm a loyal fan in your supernatural army.   
  
  
-A Brief Introduction To Blade and Spawn-  
  
When Eric Brooks mother was pregnant with him, she was attacked by a vampire. The attack forced her into premature labour and the doctors who treated her gave her a c-section to save the baby. Unfortunately the young mother died.  
  
Years later, Eric Brooks is found on the streets by Abraham Whistler, an old man who hunts and kills vampires as revenge for the death of his family. Whistler stops short of killing Blade when he catches him feeding on the homeless - in daytime.  
  
Realising what he was and acknowledging a strong sense of humanity within the boy, Whistler adopted him. Over time Eric Brooks learnt martial arts, weapons handling and ways to hunt vampires. He resented them for endowing him with the torment of an eternal thirst for human blood. This resentment became an eternal oath of vengeance against all vampires and he swore to hunt and kill every single 'suckhead' in the world.  
  
His ability to walk in daylight, his inhuman strength and agility and his combat skills forged him into the ultimate hunter. The more vampires he killed the greater his reputation became. Before long his name amongst his immortal foes was known as Blade and then as The Daywalker.  
  
To date Blade has killed two leaders of the Vampire Nation. The first was Deacon Frost, who launched a coup to take over the House of Erebus (the ruling body of the Vampire Nation) and who also decoded the Book of Erebus enabling him to liberate and the endow himself with the powers of the liquid blood god La Magra. During the ritual that liberated La Magra all the members of the House of Erebus were killed.  
  
The House of Erebus was made up of representatives of the major tribes and clans within the Vampire Nation. Each tribe had a 'glyph' a marking which symbolised each tribe. Their were eleven clans in the House Erebus:  
  
The Ashe Tribe who are hypervulnerable to the toxic dangers of the modern world that plague the House of Erebus. Ultra-violet rays, sunlight, silver and garlic are particularly lethal to these fragile descendants of the pure bloods.  
  
The Cianteto Tribe of Mexico who were raised from the dead by the same witches that granted Montezuma his immense power. As present day warriors they possess the strength of ten men and the ability to regenerate limbs lost in battle.  
  
The Dragonetti Tribe which are influential sorcerers dating back to pre-medieval times and were reincarnated and returned to Europe as the first pure bred vampires.  
  
The Faustinas Tribe, who are believed to have gained their pure blood status by practicing the black magic of Santaria. Beyond their physical strength they also possess the ability to control minds, matter and the elements. Faustinas can only be terminated with a stake through the heart. After the heart has been pierced they must also be decapitated or the Faustinas will be reborn with more power than they possessed before.  
  
The Kobejitsu Tribe who are proficient assassins known as the death ninjas. Strong and agile, possessing unusual stamina, the Kobejitsu can be identified by their bulging red eyes. They are the only members of the house of Erebus that do not cast a shadow.  
  
The Lemure Tribe of Rome who were originally evil spirits that inhabited corpses and turned the dead into immortal night stalkers. Known for their ability to seduce their prey, they are beautiful denizens of the dark and frequent underground raves and Goth clubs.  
  
The Ligaroo Tribe of France which shed their skin during the night and methodically stalk their victims. They feed from the jugular of their prey and are the only vampires to store blood for later use.  
  
The Lobishomen Tribe who are linked to the werewolfs of Brazil. It is believed that the original Lobishomen were killed by a werewolf and returned to Earth as vampires. Considering the number of deaths attributed to werewolves in Brazil, the Lobishomen are the largest clan in the House of Erebus.  
  
The Tribe of Pallantine which hails from the Baltic region. They are some of the wealthiest industrialists in the House of Erebus. Over the centuries the Pallantines have made a killing in farming, construction and high tech. Their immense wealth has allowed them to assimilate into a society that is clueless about the danger that lurks next door.  
  
The Upier Tribe who are born with a full set of teeth and razor sharp fangs. Originally from Eastern Europe, these vampires are particualrly dangerous and feared because of their ability to hone their lethal skills from an early age.  
  
The Von Esper Tribe who are the violent and most ruthless members of the House of Erebus. While most of the ruling Lords prefer to dwell peacefully and inconspiculously amongst the Humans, Von Espers have a voracious appetite for bloodshed. They are profficient killers and are easily recruited to do the evil bidding of their leaders.  
  
Deacon Frost wasn't a full fledged member of the House but he still had a glyph. It means nothing now because Blade has killed him.  
  
Following the fall of the House of Erebus and the elimination of Deacon Frost, Lord Damaskinos assumed control of the Vampire Nation and attempted to elevate the vampire race by creating a retrovirus known as the Reaper strain. Anyone who contracted this virus through a Reaper's bite became a Reaper, who was immune to silver, garlic and couldn't be pierced through the heart. Only UV lights could stop them.  
  
Damaskinos thought the Reaper strain would usher in a new age of domination for vampires and he made his son Nomak, the first carrier of the Reaper Strain. The whole experiment failed though when the Reapers blood lust became unquenchable and they started feeding on vampires as well as humans.  
  
Blade worked in conjunction with an elite team from Damaskinos's clan and eventually irradicated the Reapers and killed Nomak, but only after Nomak had decimated Damaskinos's base and killed Damaskinos himself.  
  
The whereabouts of Blade is uncertain, but we fans all assume that he continued his crusade. My fan fic says that he says and I've just taken off with the Blade legend from there.  
  
  
  
-The Creation Of A Hell Spawn-  
  
  
Hell has had many demon rulers, but 70,000 years ago it passed into the reign of it's most vicious leader, Malebolgia. The Malebolgia assumed bloody control over all of Hell and created an army with which to protect himself. Eventually The Malebolgia began expanding his army and dreamed of one day invading Heaven itself in an unholy war. Armageddon.  
  
To lead his army The Malebolgia creates Hell Spawns. These are mortals who have led a life of bloodshed as soldiers or super assassins. They are often doomed to hell on their judgement but wish to return to Earth to tend to unfinished business or be returned to their true loves. The Malebolgia plays on those weaknesses and offers them deals to return to Earth in exchange for becoming a Hell Spawn. The various grief stricken candidates agree to the deal but realise to late that they have given away their souls and humanity.  
  
There have been ten Hell Spawns over the span of human history with the latest being Al Simmons. He was trained as a government assassin and became the greatest soldier of all time. When he was betrayed and murdered on a mission by his partner he made a deal with The Malebolgia to return to Earth for his wife Wanda.  
  
Malebolgia stripped his memory and ravaged his mind before returning him to Earth five years after his death as a living corpse. However Al was given a special suit that had strange powers, the limit to which seemed to be his own imagination and the very powers of Hell itself. He can fly, raise the dead, read minds, make himself invisible and do seemingly impossible things.  
  
I chose this character's folklore for Whitney Fordman.   
  
As you'll see Blade, Spawn, Smallville and Signs will all converge on a strange and supernatural pathway to create what I hope will be my pet project. How it'll end, I don't know yet. I'm feeling kinda drained at the moment and don't really care if there's mistakes in here. I'll leave chapter two for another day.  
  
Pleasant reading and good luck on this road. Whatever you do, don't stop for directions... 


	2. Cry Havoc And Let Loose The Dogs Of War

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this. If you recognise something you own then please don't try and sue. I was just having fun. But if you insist on making me pay pointless millions, I've got a button and a packet of throat lozenges as down payment.  
  
  
  
-The Kent's Enigma-  
  
  
Clark Kent stood in the middle of a giant crop circle. It was the biggest one he'd seen. Bigger than the one that had shown up in the Jackson's corn field a week ago. Probably bigger than the one in old Ernie Datsun's field, which was reported over a month ago. This would be the Kent's first crop circle, but Kansas state's seventh in one month.  
  
"Dad! I think you should take a look at this" Clark yelled. A second later Johnathan Kent came barrelling through the corn and then stood impotently lamenting the damaged corn crops.  
  
"I don't believe this" Johnathan said harshly. "This is the last thing we need".  
  
Clark looked sympathetically toward his father. He knew that his family were only just keeping their heads above water in running this farm and he felt guilty somehow. "Perhaps we can sell the pictures to the local newspaper" he offered brightly with a hint of a smile.  
  
Johnathan seemed to only hear him with half an ear, but politely returned a smile. "Perhaps" he said. "I'd sure like to know who's doing this, so I can strangle them". Both father and son grinned.  
  
  
  
-What Lex Doesn't Know Will Hurt Him-  
  
  
Striding down the corridor of the East Wing of the Luthor ancestral home, ex-special forces officer turned mercenary Matt McCarthy rapidly thought over the implications of the field report he held in his hand.  
  
Lex will not be pleased was his first thought. As he reached the main doors to Lex Luthor's study he hesitated to open them for a small instant. But they swung open anyway and Lex stood in the doorway as if he had sensed McCarthy's approach and imminent retreat. Lex's slight frame was well dressed in designer Italian clothing worth more than McCarthy's car. Sophistication and style emanated from him. He was at once both friendly and chilling to be in the presence of.  
  
"You have what I asked for?" Lex inquired.  
  
"Yes" McCarthy said grimly.  
  
"Oh it can't be all that bad" Lex smirked. He slid the folder out of McCarthy's clammy hand and walked over to his desk and took his seat behind it. McCarthy inched his way into the room before straightening himself out and walking over to take a seat as well. "Close the doors would you?" Lex said. The command caught the ex-major off guard and he froze in mid step for a second before complying. As he shut the doors, he made a mental note to rub some insults into that spoilt bald headed priss - when his mission was over and every cent of his five million dollars was safely transferred to a Swiss bank account.  
  
McCarthy walked back and was about to sit down. "Don't sit down Matt" Lex said. "This is far from what I want to hear, so you have work to do" Lex threw the report into a rubbish bin beside his desk and cast an unreadable gaze on his toy soldier. "I'm a business man and I'm paying you for a service. If you can't tell me who's behind these crop circles or who these new land buyers are and what they're doing here, I'll take my business somewhere else"  
  
"It's not easy Mr Luthor, I can't find anything on these Pallantine's and I just dunno where to start on this crop circle crap-"  
  
"You start with who I sent you to and go from there" Lex said with flaring tone.  
  
"Well then, that might lead me to your precious Kent's" McCarthy said. "They're the latest farm to get a crop circle. Perhaps I should see them-"  
  
"No. Leave them alone, I'll talk to them"   
  
"Well... raw nerve? Got a soft spot for Clark?" McCarthy goaded. As a former intelligence officer before he joined the special forces he was a natural snoop and almost terminally paranoid. So when the son of Lionel Luthor made a bid for his services, he naturally found out all he could about his new employer. It seemed that the only leverage he gained from a background sweep and surveillance of Lex was Clark Kent. A seemingly ordinary boy who had risked his neck to save Lex after a car accident. McCarthy didn't care about any bonds of friendship between Lex and Clark, he just knew or felt that the mere mention of Clark Kent would make Lex bristle.  
  
"You can write my autobiography later, for now I expect you to find what I'm looking for" Lex ordered. "Now go take care of it and you'll get paid".  
  
McCarthy accepted Lex's prompting and gratefully departed to conduct the strange and disturbing affairs of Lex Luthor. "Rich Kids" He smirked.  
  
  
  
-Early Morning Dealings-  
  
  
At 1 am Doug Jameson was only just locking the front door of his real estate offices to head home when he felt someone coming up behind him. He turned and sighed in relief. "Mr Pallantine! you scared me" he said.  
  
"My apologies Mr Jameson" Eric Pallantine said. "I didn't mean too"  
  
Doug still felt uneasy. Mr Pallantine seemed to be very well dressed in a dark leisure suit and a long flowing trench coat. His unusually asthetic frame made him seem like a phantom night stalker.  
  
"Wha-what are you doing out so late Mr Pallantine?"   
  
"Please Douglas, call me Eric"   
  
"Okay"   
  
"I was hoping to catch you before you left your offices - I wish for you to help me broker a deal for a very important piece of property". Pallantine's eyes seemed to shine with icy blue focus. It made Doug Jameson feel as if he were about to be eaten by Pallantine.  
  
"Sure Mist- ah Eric" Jameson's jowls wobbled as he stammered his compliance. His eyes were darting everywhere desperately avoiding that hungry stare. Heightened by the sense of danger, his mind told him that there was no car parked in the street. Pallantine must've walked from where ever he was staying. Then why didn't I hear him coming?  
  
"Which piece of property are you looking at?"   
  
"The Kent farm" Pallantine said.   
  
Jameson started a little. This new challenge channelled his instincts elsewhere as he smelt a large commission coming his way. "They'll never sell" He said weakly, even though his mind was already strategising over ways to canoodle the Kents.  
  
"That is why I come to you my friend" Pallantine said, his Mediterranean accent and charm thicker than ever. "You tell them I will pay them what their farm is worth and more".  
  
"They're very hard to convince... not even the Luthors could get them to sell" Jameson said.  
  
"Well, I take great pride in not being a Luthor" Pallantine smiled and Jameson chuckled. "You will tell them of my interest and help me buy their farm?".  
  
Jameson was nodding well before he said "yes".  
  
"Excellent! I will speak with you tommorrow Douglas" Pallantine said. He offered a smile and began walking off down the empty midnight street.   
  
Jameson was high on the potential deal and turned back to finish locking up. A second later he wondered what time he should meet Eric that morning and turned back to ask him.  
  
But the street was empty.  
  
  
  
-Night Of The Daywalker-  
  
  
A slick black ducati sped down the quiet Smallville back roads. It's rider was helmetless, but wore dark wrap around sunglasses which would've struck most people as unusual seeing it was around 1 am.  
  
He had rode all night to reach his destination and his senses were all fully engaged scanning the new Smallville environment. He knew this would be the place of a great battle. But he was also aware that he knew nothing of who his real opponents were.  
  
Pallantine was the only name in the front of his mind. Their would be others though.  
  
Vampires travel in packs nowadays. They had too, in order to avoid Blade or the Daywalker as his immortal enemies knew him. Since Blade had dispatched Nomak, who had already killed the head of the Vampire Nation Lord Damaskinos, vampires everywhere were now fleeing the cities to lie low in rural settings and build up their numbers once more. But Blade was wise to this strategy and was travelling across America to hunt them down and carry out his oath to kill all the suckheads in the world.  
  
And now his hunt had put him on the trail of some big fish. Pallantine, one of the major vampire clans that was once part of the House of Erebus which ruled the Vampire Nation before Damaskinos. Blade had dispatched that leader as well, Deacon Frost who had killed Dragonetti in order to gain control of the house and the nation.   
  
Blade was now approaching the actual town of Smallville and he slowed before hitting the quiet main street. Silently purring through the town on his bike, Blade scanned the shop fronts to get a feel for the town and to search for clues to Vampire nests. All the shops seemed to have well attended displays in their windows and the streets had been swept. That meant the towns people hadn't yet become suckheads. More importantly he hadn't seen anyone or anything on the streets so far.  
  
He sped up again and took off toward the outter laying areas of Smallvile to recon the farms and houses. His first stop though would be the Luthor ancestral home. Wealth and greed seem to eventually come together in the same places Blade knew.  
  
  
  
-Chloe and Prejudice-  
  
  
Pete Ross came jostling through the human traffic of the Smallville High Corridor. "Hey Clark! Wait up!" he beckoned. A second later Pete joined his friend Clark on their way toward History class. "So I heard the aliens got you last night" Pete said.  
  
Clark jumped a little hearing his friends jibe. "Aliens? Pete have you been drinking coffee again?" He smiled. Pete gave a sly grin in return.  
  
"You can bet Chloe'll have a field day with this. She'll use any excuse she can find to hang around with you" Pete said.  
  
Clark flushed. "Shut up Pete. Chloe and I are friends, always have been" He defended.  
  
"Yeah I'm sure that's the way Chloe always wants it to be" Pete said.  
  
"What I always want what to be?" A voice from behind Clark and Pete spoke up. Neither of the two noticed the short but extremely sassy blonde come up from behind them, despite the fact she liked to wear combat boots, which were sort of a big full stop for her entire ensemble. She smiled brilliantly at Clark, only just noticing Pete standing next to him.  
  
"We were just...ah" Clark stammered.  
  
"Just talking about the Kent's brand spanking new crop circle!" Pete interjected. Clark gave him a grateful look. Chloe's smile dialled down a bit but her disappointment wasn't pulpable. She always promised herself never to become one of those people who wears their heart on their sleeve. That was part of becoming an ace reporter.  
  
"I trust you're giving me exclusive rights and access to your backyard enigma" Chloe smiled.  
  
"Well dad had called the local Sheriff and they're coming out to help us file a report, but there's no way that dad'll allow those crop circle groupies to trapse through his fields destroying what's left of our corn crops".  
  
"You don't think he'll let me see it?" Chloe asked.  
  
"For you? Sure. He won't mind if I show you"   
  
"Yay! I get exclusive pictures and interviews!" Chloe rejoiced in a bubbly manner that made Pete grimace then laugh. "What?" Chloe asked defensively.  
  
"Oh nothing" Pete replied.  
  
"Tell me you freak!" Chloe prodded Pete in the arm sharply, which made him laugh more. Chloe smiled and threw an arm over his shoulders. "When are we going to have you committed Pete Ross?".  
  
"Guys" Clark called out from the doorway to History class. All three then disappeared inside to be swallowed up by the details of the American Revolution for the entire fourth period.  
  
  
  
-Play Hard But Play Fair-  
  
  
Lex had woken up with an uneasy feeling. It hadn't washed off with his morning shower and a hearty breakfast hadn't satisfied a growing sense of trouble fast approaching. He took to monitoring his stock options in a half dozen joint ventures he was thinking of pulling out of. But instead, he increased his investments in a high risk/high return approach.  
  
He then tapped a password into a secure file created exclusively for his laptop. The screen blanked for a prescribed 5 seconds and then a split screen chart and graph came up. Lex looked pensively at the projections they represented. His planned take over of LuthorCorp was nowhere near being realised, but he could certainly rock his daddy's boat until his time came.  
  
He rejoiced in his vision of destroying his father, Lionel Luthor for a second before leaving the program. But his attentions were eventually drawn to the new property investors, Pallantine. Just then a video messenger icon flashed in the system tray of his laptop. Lex clicked on it and a small window opened showing a picture of his dutiful gate guard Robert.   
  
"What is it Rob?" Lex asked.  
  
"There's a visitor who wants to see you Mr Luthor".  
  
'Mr Luthor'Lex cringed. "Who is it?".  
  
"Mr Eric Pallantine".  
  
Only a second's silence betrayed Lex's surprise, his face remained unreadable. "Well show him in" Lex said.  
  
"Thank you for allowing me the privilege" A sophisticated and slightly accented voice said from Lex's office doorway. Lex looked up and then stood.  
  
"Sir? Are you there? I can't find Mr Pallantine, he seems to have-" Lex closed the screen and folded down his laptop.  
  
"My apologies for bypassing your security staff, but I feared that I would not be able to see you". Eric Pallantine was tall and athletically built. He was dressed in the latest style of a European Businessman, which was both eloquent and professional looking. His seemingly unblinking gaze leant him a strange, unmerciful quality.  
  
"Well it seems my security staff aren't doing what they're paid for. But it is a pleasure to finally meet you Mr Pallantine" Lex said casually. He extended a hand toward Pallantine and as they shook Lex's skin began to crawl and a permeating chill swept through him. It took all of his self control not to let it show.  
  
"Please sit" Lex said, indicating the sofa suite in a more atmospheric corner of his huge office. They both walked over and Lex poured drinks for them both before they sat. "I've noticed you around Mr Pallantine, what brings you to this humble corner of Kansas?" Lex inquired.  
  
"Please Mr Luthor call me Eric"  
  
"Alright, thank you. Please call me Lex"  
  
"Very well Lex" Pallantine smiled. "I am a businessman Lex, I make investments in worthy ventures" He said cryptically.   
  
"What worthy ventures are available in Smallville?"   
  
"Well, on behalf of the interested parties I represent I cannot fully disclose that information" Pallantine said.  
  
Lex sipped his drink and contemplated his next approach. "I hear you want to buy the Kent's farm next?" He said. "They'll never sell, I've tried and given up".  
  
Pallantine smiled and placed his untouched drink on a marble pedestal beside where he was sitting. "I wish to acquire their property, but not destroy their livelihood. I would pay them more than current market evaluation and even procure another property for them at no expense to the Kent's".  
  
Lex swallowed another sip. "It's not their livelihood they would be losing, it's the heritage and legacy they have invested in that farm" Lex informed him. "Intangible assetts like those cannot be bought from highly principled people like the Kent's".  
  
Pallantine smiled underneath his inscrutible gaze. "I understand heritage Lex, my family is built on hundreds of years of traditions, but there comes a time when things must change and new legacies must be passed on".  
  
Lex saw an opportunity and went for it. "What precisely have you inherited from your families past generations?".  
  
Pallantine seemed to stumble in his train of thought and Lex took satisfaction in seeing him blink ever so slightly. He smiled and changed tack. "Perhaps you are right Lex. The Kent's will be a difficult proposition to deal with and may never sell their property. But you understand that I am obliged to try and convince them to do so anyway"  
  
Lex nodded. "Yes of course and best of luck Eric".   
  
There was an unspoken but mutual agreement that the meeting was over and they both stood and shook hands. As Pallantine walked through the doors, Lex stared after him for a moment.  
  
It seemed his uneasy feeling had risen to warning bells and he now understood why.  
  
  
  
-Coffee, Donuts and Muffins-  
  
  
Chloe knelt and aimed her camera directly into the bent over storks of corn. "Seems to be bent back without breaking them off..." She noticed.  
  
"Huh?" Pete asked. He came and stood over where she was photographing.   
  
"Pete. Your nikes are in the way!" Chloe said.  
  
Pete shifted a little.  
  
"Pete. You're standing in my light!" Chloe said through an ever tightening jaw.  
  
"Oh sorry for ruining your shot" Pete said. "Close ups of bent over corn always do it for me".  
  
Chloe ignored him and took the best shot she could. She stood up and looked around. "Where's Clark?".  
  
"He's..." Pete looked toward where he last saw his friend. "... gone".  
  
Chloe hid her frown by pretending to look down at the corn. Just then a strong pair of hands grabbed her about the waist and lifted her off her feet. "Suuuuuurprise!" Clark yelled. Chloe squealed and laughed as Clark gently lowered her. She glowed long after Clark and Pete had regained their composure.  
  
"What was that for you big Jerk?" Chloe asked playfully.  
  
Clark smiled. "Oh I just thought I'd make your story a bit more interesting. You can write you were abducted by aliens or something".   
  
Pete laughed. "Man that'd rock!".  
  
Chloe gave both of her friends a 'what am I going to do with you both' look. "Clark, I think you're turning into Pete" she retorted.   
  
Just then all of them heard someone moving through the corn storks. A second later Lana Lang emerged and Chloe's cheerful disposition immediately constricted back into itself. But she maintained a polite face.  
  
"Hey guys" Lana greeted.   
  
"Hey Lana" Pete and Clark greeted in unison. Chloe made do with a 'hey' and noticed that Lana seemed to make a beeline to stand next to Clark, who of course let her. "I just came to see this crop circle stuff close up" she said.  
  
Clark seemed to take a breath before replying. "Well Chloe here is writing an exclusive on it all, how's it going Sherlock Holmes?".  
  
Chloe shrugged. "Compared to the others I've seen, this is different with the size and the fact that the design is contained within this one circle. I don't recall ever seeing that in other case files".  
  
"Other case files? How much spare time do you have Chloe?" Pete asked and promptly received a shut up Pete from Chloe's direction.  
  
"So this crop circle's special?" Lana asked, carefully approaching the subject.  
  
"Sort of... I'd have to do more investigation and look up some stuff, I'm no expert, but the Kent's crop circle is different. This is probably gonna be the most exclusive exclusive I've ever written" Chloe said.  
  
"What's your theory behind them Chloe?" Lana asked.  
  
"Oh you don't want to hear my theory..."   
  
"Sure, you're the ace reporter who gets to the heart of the matter" Pete said. "So tell us your theory - Aliens or Bigfoot?".  
  
Ignoring him with sheer willpower, Chloe began relating her carefully constructed case. "I think they're symbols for some sort of gathering. For who, I don't know. But they all seem to correspond with symbols from an ancient mythological text called the Book of Erebus" Chloe paused to re-order her thoughts.  
  
"The Book of Erebus is like an anti-bible. Legend has it that it's the sacred text of generations of vampires but modern scholars believe it was written by an ancient cult who practiced sorcery and black magic in the middle ages".  
  
Clark's brow was furrowed in thought, Chloe relished the fact that it meant he was listening to her and not paying attention to Lana. "So, what're they doing in Kansas corn fields?" he asked.  
  
"I'm not sure... the Book of Erebus went missing 400 years ago".  
  
"Who would know about it then?" Lana asked with genuine inquiry.  
  
"I'm not sure, it might be a cult..." Chloe offered weakly.  
  
"Or aliens" Pete interrupted.  
  
"Shut up Pete" Chloe said. She was beginnng to feel embarassed. Her reporter instinct always lead her toward a story, but didn't quite tell her how to crack it. Yet.  
  
"What do the symbols mean?" Clark asked.  
  
Greatful for a question she could answer, Chloe relayed what she had spent a month of late nights and early mornings researching. "The first symbol that appeared in Whately's corn field was kind of like a beacon, it sorta means the Beginning.  
  
"The second one that showed up in Ernie Datsun's field was like an identifying marker, it was meant to symbolise something".  
  
"What?" Pete asked.  
  
"I dunno! God Pete, gimme a chance to talk here!"   
  
"Well how'd you know all this if the Book of Erebus went missing 400 years ago? Did your great great great great grandparents steal it?" Pete asked.  
  
"Noooo. My cousin Lois Lane found out about the book when she investigated a murder case in Metropolis, she e-mailed me what she found, apparently she teased it out've some University professor or something, Lois always knows how to get information" Chloe said.  
  
"Oh okay, please continue" Pete urged.  
  
"Anyway, as I was saying, each one's a symbol and I think they represent members of an ancient order. They're kinda like a roll call".  
  
"For who I wonder and why here?" Clark asked no one in particular.  
  
"That I'm still not sure of, looks like an all nighter back at the Torch. You up for that?" Chloe asked Clark.  
  
"Sure, Pete you bring the donuts and I'll make the coffee" Clark said happily.  
  
"What about me?" Lana asked. She caught everyone off guard. The popular brunette hanging out with newspaper geeks.  
  
"Well ah, sure. If you're an insomniac come join us!" Clark said.  
  
"Well I'll bring some of my double fudge chocolate muffins, all that caffeine should keep us going all year round!" Lana joked. Everyone chuckled before breaking up and heading off home for dinner and homework and then onto the Torch offices for the all nighter.  
  
From the road, sitting on a black Ducati motorcycle, Blade watched them all leave and began to pack up his long range sound scanner. He hadn't anticipated involvement from the locals, but he was grateful for their insight into the crop circles.   
  
Even he had failed to pay attention to the crop circles, simply dismissing them as sideshow distractions. But thanks to Chloe Sullivan he was now fully aware of their true significance.   
  
And very suspicious of Miss Sullivan.  
  
  
  
-Keep Your Friends Close...-  
  
  
In his 'Fortress of Solitude' Clark Kent was free to think through his real problems. His father had built this quiet place for him to come and think and for a protected moment, he could be what he really is, a growing man with extraordinary abilities.  
  
"Thinking of Lana?" A familiar voice asked. Lex must've come up quietly while Clark was sitting on his bed.  
  
"Lex, how are you?"   
  
"Fine, how about you and Miss Lang?" Lex goaded.  
  
"I'm fine and so is Lana" Clark said. "To what do I owe the visit?".  
  
"Can't I visit a friend?" Lex asked. He took a seat at Clark's study desk and gazed intently. "I was just here to say 'watch out'".  
  
Clark instinctly looked behind him, then ducked. When nothing happened he looked at Lex, puzzled.  
  
"No not in the physical danger sense, at least not yet I hope" Lex chortled. "There's a new investor in town buying up land, his name's Eric Pallantine and he's one of the few businessman that can dare to eclipse my father".   
  
"What does he want?" Clark asked.  
  
"Your farm".  
  
"Well he's outta luck because Dad'll never let him have it - not for money and not for free either" Clark added.   
  
Lex sat bemused. "Not for money and not for free? Have we been reading Dr Zeus?" he asked. "I'm just kidding, but not about Pallantine. He is powerful and some would say more agressive than my father".  
  
"D'you think we should be worried?" Clark asked, stirring uncomfortably.  
  
"Yes. But if he gives you real trouble don't hesitate to tell me".  
  
"Real trouble? I'd have to call the police if that happened" Clark said.  
  
It often bemused and fascinated Lex that Clark could believe in such greater goods despite the examples to the contrary in the world he really lived in. Lex couldn't tell if Clark was really that naive or if it was some sort of cover.   
  
"No, you call me" Lex pointed between them both for emphasis. "Pallantine is like my father and has ways of subversing regular law enforcement".  
  
What does that mean? Clark wondered but was to polite to ask. Lex spied some notes on Clark's desk. "You're interested in this crop circle nonsense?" he asked as he leaned over to inspect the handwritten notes.  
  
"Well Chloe is, I'm going along for the ride though, her reporter instincts are never wrong".  
  
"Never?" Lex prodded.  
  
"Well... rarely" Clark ammended with a grin.  
  
"What does she think these crop circles are all about then - aliens or magical vortexes?".  
  
"I don't mean to frighten you but my friend Pete -"  
  
"The comedian?"  
  
"- yeah, he said almost the exact same thing, except his version had Aliens or Bigfoot" Clark chuckled at Lex's moch dismay. "Great minds think alike?".  
  
"What a horrible thing to say!" Lex grinned. "But seriously what does she think?"  
  
"Well, she seems to think they're symbols from an ancient text that went missing... 400 years ago. What they mean, who's doing it and why we're not to clear on. We're pulling an all nighter at the Torch to try an figure that out".  
  
"Well good luck Clark" Lex said as he rose to leave. "Don't lose sleep over a wild goose chase though".  
  
Clark followed Lex part way down the stairs. "You think it's a wild goose chase?" Clark asked.  
  
"Not if Chloe found something in it, but it may not be all that she hoped" Lex replied.  
  
"Well... thanks for the warning about Pallantine, have you told my dad?".  
  
Lex paused at the bottom of the stairs and turned back to face Clark. "Ah no. I prefer not to lose seven of my nine lives". They both smiled at that and Lex departed. Clark left shortly after on his way to the Torch offices.  
  
  
  
-The Last Gasp-  
  
  
"Mayday! Mayday!" the young soldier yelled down the radio. "Is anyone hearing me? Damnit!". The radio was shot.   
  
Private Fordman scanned the jungle all around him, searching for the danger that killed three quarters of his platoon, including the LT. Effectively he was in command. And he didn't have a clue about what to do.  
  
"Whitney! Whitney! We should get outta here man!" Private Jimmy Esgrove said. "Get them to evack us!".  
  
"Can't, radio's toast" Private Fordman replied.  
  
"Oh man!" Esgrove spat. "This sucks!".  
  
For the last 36 hours the 7th platoon of 40th Marine recon company had been engaged in a firefight with South American guerilla's in the Amazon. They had been surprised and mauled by the guerilla's sudden offensive and now it was increasingly likely that the 7th platoon would never be heard from again.  
  
"American soldiers!" The call came from somewhere in the thick jungle cover. "Surrender or be killed!" it ordered. The guerillas had found the bedraggled survivors and were closing in for the kill.  
  
"Go to hell!" Whitney yelled back. Seconds later the final firefight began. Not knowing where to shoot, the survivors simply tore up the surrounding jungle. There was a scream but no one fell out from cover.  
  
"The trees, shoot into the trees!" Fordman yelled to the three surviving soldiers under his command. Once their fire was aimed high among the trees the screams became more numerous and the marines took heart at seeing the enemy dead falling from amongst their tree top hideouts.  
  
But the marines eventually ran out of ammunition. The fight was effectively over. Fordman looked back at his troopers. "We go out like marines" he said simply.   
  
Private Whitney Fordman of Smallville, Kansas died in action leading his men in an extraordinary act of valour against unsurmountable odds. But due to the fact that his unit was on a covert action, all the men of 7th platoon were reported missing in action. Their families would never know any of the circumstances of their death.  
  
And that was the way Jason Wynn wanted it.   
  
  
  
-Everything Will Change-  
  
  
By the time Clark arrived it was all over. The Torch office was completely trashed. As he walked further into the room he saw Chloe lying amongst overturned chairs and smashed computer monitors. She didn't seem to be alive.  
  
From over behind a filing cabinet, Clark thought he heard a grunt. When he looked he saw his friend Pete bound and gagged staring wide eyed at something behind Clark. Before he could turn to confront whoever it was, Clark suffered a massive blow on his back which sent him crashing through the window.  
  
Before he blacked out, Clark saw the headlights of Lana's truck flash across the front of the building as she pulled up. He tried to yell a warning and wanted to get up and stop her from going in there, but he couldn't stop himself from being pulled toward unconsciousness. 


	3. Hell Spawn

Foreword: This isn't what I intended for the next instalment, but I simply couldn't reproduce the same kind of rush I had with the first two parts. The shift in storytelling may rattle you, but the story's still there. Trust me. It's just that Whitney needs some spotlight for his development. Unlike Smallville, I really need his presence for everything to work out.  
  
Be warned: There's swearing here! But that's because I'm using the Spawn background for this instalment. I suspect that everyone in Hell is a bit of a potty mouth.   
  
Like I said, the story will continue and the next instalment will be about Lana's big surprise. I'm also going to use Deanine's suggestion and that means dire implications for Clark... wait and see what I mean! To everyone who reviewed, my next instalment will be for each of you. Thanks.  
  
Thank you for reading, if it gets your mind off crazy stuff and gives you a break, than that's the best reward I could ask for! Thanks. Please enjoy.  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to the Smallville Character, Whitney Fordman and I'm using this characters likeness without authorisation of the Copyright holders. I am also using the Hell Spawn name without permission from the creators and copyright holders of Spawn. There's not point in suing me dudes, just tell me if you want the story down. I might listen...  
  
As for Kane... he does whatever the Hell he wants, but he did nod when I asked if I could write about him. I took it as permission to use him here.   
  
  
  
- Where Angels Fear To Tread... -  
  
  
He woke up in gouts of agony.  
  
Whitney screamed. Fiery explosions of pain ripped through every fibre of his body, it was tremendous! He was screamin' and yellin', twisting about like a fish on a hook - ugh, I swear I was about to drop dead from laughing so hard!  
  
But then again, bein' dead's kyna redundant in this place. Thinking about that made me laugh even harder! You see I still had to let Whitney know that he was burnin' in Hell! I had to tell him why he was sent here as well! I love my job.   
  
You're wonderin' who the hell's tellin' the story now huh? Who I am? Well I've given that Strange Reaper jerk off free reign over everything else - but this part of the story is mine.   
  
My name's Kane Slater. I'm the master of the First Sphere of Hell. Part of my job is to greet new residents, like pretty boy Whitney over there. He's still screamin' for fucks sake! Like he's god damn Whitney Houston. It kinda pisses me off that I gotta save him for my master The Malebolgia. He wants to make this prick his bitch. A fuckin' Hell Spawn for cryin' out loud! All the powers of hell chucked on to the scrawny - mortal - shoulders of this little fucker!  
  
It get's to me sure. Here I am, a hard workin' true native of hell and whaddo I get? Fuck all, that's what. He's stopped screamin'. Pretty boy's lungs must've exploded, I might be able to go tell him the good news now...  
  
  
  
- Where We All Might End Up -  
  
  
Whitney couldn't believe he was burning alive.  
  
Curling tongues of fire stung his flesh with searing, lingering pain. He struggled and thrashed about, trying to leap out of the fire. But the fire grew larger forbading him to leave, so it could continue to eat him alive.  
  
"Relax pretty boy, it'll be all over in a second"   
  
Whitney couldn't have even heard the voice. Instead, he switched from screaming to yelling for help.   
  
"No one's gonna help ya here kid" The voice informed him. "You're on your own"  
  
Whitney pleaded on and on. But the voice was right. The fire just burned him like a candle wicker. But then, in a heartbeat, all the flames died down. They became small flickers dancing all around where he was standing.  
  
He squinted down on himself, expecting to see his flesh sloughed away and nothing but bare white bone shining through. Splitting his eyelids further apart, Whitney held a breath... and then let it out in shakey gasps of relief and fear. "What the hell..." He managed to say.  
  
"What the hell in deed!" Came a mockingly cheerful reply from nearby. Whitney searched for the voice and his heart almost exploded from the new terror that shook through him.  
  
He was standing in nothing. Darkness, alive and writhing like a pit of snakes lingered hungrily all around him. He seemed to be suspended in the middle of it, but Whitney couldn't reason how, he just screamed.  
  
"Oh for crying out loud! I heard ya the first time! Shut up!" Then, the owner of the voice quite literally, slipped into view from out of nowhere. "Hi there girly-priss, name's Kane Slater!"   
  
Kane was easily six foot two and had an athletic frame. His lithe torso was complemented by a shiny smooth looking shirt, with a leather jacket draped across the well defined lines of his broad shoulders.   
  
Whitney immediately recognised that the grin he wore was out of place with his demeanour. His pallid complexion and the dead, icy look made him shiver involuntarily. A shell of thorny looking brown hair topped off the overall impression that Kane was a perpetual threat to anyone's safety.  
  
But that cold, dead stare scythed straight through Whitney. For a fleeting second, it felt as if their two minds touched. But Whitney reeled from the contact. He got the impression of thousands and thousands of naked, pale skinned corpses, lying along a vast, never ending meadow. Spring time flowers blossomed amongst them, the full, radiant sun bathing it all in a motherly caress of warmth and light, the beauty of life, the decay and hollow abandonment of death existing side by side at the same horrible moment in time.   
  
However it was just an image that came out of nowhere and forced itself through Whitney's mind, violating it like a peeping tom. But it lingered... for the simple reason that it seemed strangely familiar. The meadow looked like the same as the ones in Smallville.  
  
"W-where am I?" Whitney asked.  
  
"You're in Hell, burning alive" Kane replied matter of factly.  
  
"What? You tell me where I am right now!" Whitney screamed. He was to tired to be scared anymore, everything became dull, flat and grey. The only thing that gave him energy, was anger.  
  
"I love it when they don't shut up!" Kane exclaimed with glee, he swung his arms open as if composing a great oratory, imploring the darkness to cheer him on. Then suddenly, with savage speed he grabbed Whitney's arm.  
  
Their minds definitely touched this time. In fact they collided into a forced fusion. Whitney twisted and tore at Kane's preternaturally strong grip but couldn't break it. He flipped and flopped like a fish on dry land.  
  
"You listen to me" Kane began, every word crashing, reverberating through Whitney's mind. "Exactly no one cares about you right now, except for me. Your world is mine and I decide how you live your life from now on. Got that!" The telepathic yell of the last two words felt like a frosty ice pick lancing into Whitney's brain.  
  
"Ahhh - Yes, yes! Stop!"  
  
Kane grinned and tightened his grip until the bones in Whitney's wrist began grinding together. "What's the magic word?"  
  
"Please! Please Stop!"   
  
Whitney's arm fell by his side and Kane stepped back. "Nice little farm boy, good little farm boy" He jeered.  
  
"What'd you do to me?"   
  
"What're you squawkin' about?"   
  
"Now, just then, how'd you do that?"  
  
Kane sighed, ran a hand through his hair and drew a cigarette from his jacket. "You dumb ass" He said. As soon as the cigarette touched his lips, he inhaled and it ignited. He took a long, deep drag and puffed out the smoke. "Fuckin' amazin' ain't it? All natives of Hell use telepathy"  
  
Whitney could feel his insides run cold. Everything he had been calling reality all his life, didn't work where he was now. Burned alive, seeing images in his mind, talking telepathically... perhaps this was Hell. "Why?" He asked meekly.  
  
"Why're you here? Simple! You're a fundamentally bad person. The G-man judged you, told you to fuck off and here you are!"  
  
"But why?"  
  
"What'd ya do?" Kane leered at Whitney, as a predator does to prey. "You did a few things in your life, small shit, nothing you couldn't have been redeemed from... but that little hazing incident with Clark Kent and then breaking Lana's heart - now that's serious shit! Capital punishment!"  
  
"How?"  
  
"Fuckin' Hell Whitney, use some syllables if you're gonna ask me a question - I'm workin' with nuthin' ovah here!" He sighed dismally and continued. "Clark Kent's a big big man upstairs, the G-Man's got big stuff waitin' for him, but along you come and put your big fuckin' foot in the middle of it all. By stringing up Clark in that field... you just picked up a pen to sign your own after life death warrant. But the clencher came when you lost Lana's necklace and broke her heart by breaking her trust - ya sack full of pigshit you!" Kane chuckled.  
  
"But... How?"  
  
Kane's whole posture lightened up and he shuffled over next to Whitney as if he was about to share a big fat juicy secret. "The fuckers up in Heaven've got a few screws loose, they think that the world you came from's about love and trust. You ever break one of those than you've gotta - and I mean GOT TO, make up for it for the rest of your life. You ain't worth shit unless you've hauled your ass through it" Kane said, clearly contented and eager to express his point of view. His eyes shone.  
  
"But... but, that's not fair!" Whitney said. "I was just starting to get my life together!"  
  
"Too bad sunshine, G-Man says when your time's up. You live, you die because he says so. I guess you shouldn't have gone after Clark, you shoulda just let him take your girl and fucked off" Kane said considerately. "Too bad"  
  
"What do you mean? I shoud've just let Clark take Lana? No! She's my love, only I can know how she needs to be loved! I was building our life together and we could've been together forever!" He raged. "I would've done anything for Lana, we were in love..."  
  
"That's all nice and good, but Clarky's got her now" Kane said. He sidled off a few steps and indulged in an extra long drag of his cigarette.  
  
"What!? No! He promised me he'd look after her while I was away!"   
  
Kane cut him short with a burst of laughter. "You fuckin idiot! Oh yeah, I'll leave my girlfriend with a guy that wants her and then I'll go away for God knows how long and expect them both to stay friends? No, I don't think so" He said.  
  
Whitney's insides turned to lead. His heartbeat dropped and he felt cold. "Clark... Clark did this to me! He takes my life, pretends to be my friend and then takes Lana - I'm here because of him! It's all his fault!" He raged, clenching his fists. "It's all his fault"  
  
"I bet you'd like to see her again and get some revenge..." Kane said.  
  
"What?" Whitney looked in pointed scrutiny at Kane.   
  
"The ruler of Hell took one look at your case and immediately sort justice. So he's authorised me to make you this offer. If you agree to become a leader in his Hell borne army, a Hell Spawn, I can let you go back to Earth and see Lana! But once you've seen her, you must become a Hell Spawn"  
  
Whitney gave it limited attention, he could see no downside, only the picture of Lana's smile. "Yes! Anything for Lana" He said.  
  
"Good" Kane scowled. "You might even run into Clark while you're down there... don't hesitate to kill him"  
  
"Anything for Lana"   
  
  
  
- This Is What I Do For A Living -  
  
  
That pussy Strange Reaper sure fucked that up. But at least he got the good stuff. Ya see what Whitney was burnin' in at the beginning was a Hell Fire. It's flames reached inside the poor schmucks body and gave him the power of a Hell Spawn! That's when the seeds were sown. He had no fuckin choice anyway! Heh heh!  
  
Luckily Whitney was a dumb little fucker. All that shit about him pulling that fucking hilarious trick on Clark Kent was a load of chikenshit. I just needed to get him mad. You see I can't give someone the powers of Hell itself without making them a homicidal maniac. And those poor sluts that think there's such a thing as true loves are always the easiest peeps to fuck over!   
  
By the time he gets back to Earth, all he's gonna want is Lana. Everything could burn to the ground and he wouldn't care as long as Lana was his.   
  
This helps me kill two birds with one stone. Clark Kent might turn out to be Superman one day, but even the Man of Steel is completely vulnerable to supernatural powers. A Hell Spawn would have him for lunch! If Whitney's got any balls he'll kill Clark and stop him from interfering in Hell's little convention at Smallville. Superman will never exist, Hell would have a Spawn to lead it's army and we would invade Heaven!   
  
Oh and we've got a little surprise for all of you on Earth... but I'll let our agents up there handle that... sleep tight. You'll be hearing from me again. Be sure o'that. 


	4. Blood Moon Rising

Disclaimer: This is for fun, so the big bad copyright holders of Smallville haven't let me use their characters officially. Actually, come to think of it, neither have the mighty copyright holders of Blade... Is that enough not to get sued? Don't sue me!  
  
Authors notes: It's not a textured, layered or introspective piece, this one's just meant to be a ride! There may be errors but I hope they're not glaring. This is a first draft after all, unfortunately failing health and a pressing urgency to get this done have cut short any revisions or rewrites. It is quite possibly my last piece of writing. Hope not though!  
  
But my motto is and always will be - enjoy the story. If it takes you away for just a little while and gives you a break from whatever stresses ya, than that's excellent. It's what I always hoped for when I slugged these things out. Thanks for reading!   
  
DEDICATION: This is to everyone who reviewed my story. Val's Boyfriend, rainshower, Cherry Girl, Anya Lyons, Deanine, Angeldust, A HobbitLassRosie, BugEyedMonster and Crystal. This is for my family too. As always, this story is for anyone who read and enjoyed. Thanks to you all.   
  
  
  
~Blood Moon Rising~  
  
  
  
Lana felt it first in the parking lot.  
  
She hesitated to lock her truck. Twisting slowly around, surveying the whole area she noticed the empty parking spaces illuminated underneath six tall street lamps. An electrified wave of apprehension brushed across the back of her neck. She peered between the pools of light from the street lamps and saw...  
  
Nothing. Everything was still. She tilted her head and heard only the familiar sounds of the cricket's concerto and the subaudible roar of the main highway a short distance out of town. Lana wasn't satisfied and strained harder to send her senses further out into the night.  
  
But still nothing sprang her tripwire senses. She turned back, locked her truck and hawled her back pack across her shoulder. It was loaded with crop circle library books and a box of her promised muffins.  
  
She strode briskly to the main door of Smallville High and got inside as quickly as she could. But as she entered, Lana's heart beat nearly pulpitated. The corridor was swamped in darkness. The Torch offices were on the second floor. Chloe had left the door open for her but switched off the lights?   
  
As Lana contemplated that, the main door clicked shut behind her. And the light of the six street lamps outside suddenly blinked out, then moments later flicked on and shone heavy red light.  
  
  
  
****  
  
  
Clark snapped upright. His head rang like a church bell and his stomach swirled, desperately grasping it's contents.  
  
He reached for a stinging pain on the back of his head, wincing. He gasped as he touched it, drawing his hand back immediately. When his view of the world stopped swimming, he looked down at his fingers and frowned.  
  
His extraordinary abilities had often made him wonder what his limitations were. There was no illusion that he was immortal now. His own mortality was now smeared over his finger tips.  
  
Pain and his own blood were relatively new phenomenons and Clark recoiled from both, clenching his teeth and resisting a temptation to hurl. When the small explosions of pain stopped tearing through his head, he tried to stand.   
  
He wondered what could've done this to him. Whatever it was, it had actually hurt him from a single blow. For a fleeting second, he was afraid and unsure. As soon as his head stopped swimming he looked around him to regain his senses.  
  
Then he remembered. The trashed offices, Pete tied up, Chloe... And Lana! He spun around looking to where he last saw her and was met by a huge fist swinging toward.  
  
Clark was ripped off his feet and sailed backwards, crashing heavily to the ground some distance away from where he started. His head spun again and his wound burned.  
  
For the second time that night, Clark was down.  
  
  
  
****  
  
  
Lana squinted through the darkness, frowning. Her eyes adjusted but still couldn't see through the gloom.   
  
She was so familiar with the main corridor of Smallville High that she took it for granted. But now it seemed like a setting for a trashy teen thriller movie, as dark as a snakes belly. She edged forward and tried harder to see down the corridor.  
  
Jolts of throbbing apprehension, crashed through her chest pounding the air from her lungs. Where was everyone? Lana decided against calling out loud. Something was wrong and now she had the feeling, she was heading straight to the heart of her uneasy feeling, the one that assaulted her in the parking lot.  
  
Treading carefully in an attempt to muffle her footfalls, Lana moved closer to the lockers. Her senses were alert again, listening, seeing and even trying to smell for things that might be out of place, perhaps lurking.  
  
Then she heard a metallic rasp.   
  
She spun around. Her heartbeat and breathing stopped momentarily and the urge to scream was stifled.   
  
Before her, stood a black clad ninja, huge red domes bulging from his head like eyes. A sword blade glinted in his hand. Then from behind him, the darkness grew thicker until it was almost impenetrable, and Lana watched in frozen surprise and mixed shock and fear as four more ninjas melted into view. They walked resolutely, fists clenched and strongly postured. Then they too, drew their swords.  
  
Lana's mind broke through paralysis and she didn't waste time screaming. Her mind, in a frantic rush to survive called up a familiar route. The path to the Torch offices. It was upstairs, but it was better than trying to outrun these guys. They looked sturdy and fit and Lana couldn't help but remember all those mindless action flicks that showed ninjas to have extraordinary stealth and ability.  
  
Lana herself was petite and athletic. Not the fastest runner and not even the fittest, but she was young and had kept up her natural abilities. She tore away from her spot and opened up in a sprint for the stairwell, a small distance away.   
  
She felt the presence of the ninja boring into her back and she took the stairs in gulping strides. As she turned into the final bend of the stairway, which lead to the second floor, a ninja sprang up over the handrail from the steps below and dropped in front of her, sword poised to strike.  
  
She turned back, but her gut twisted in a sinking feeling, her instincts telling her she was cornered.   
  
She was. The other four ninjas were arrayed in three tiers on the bottom of the steps. Two ninjas up front, closest to her, and the two other ninjas in single file behind them. The front two had their swords drawn.  
  
Lana backed up, her muscles contracted and her lungs straining to snatch air through her constricted throat. She took three gentle steps backward and then pressed against the cold wall.  
  
The ninjas moved slowly toward her, as bullies do to increase fear. But unlike bullies, Lana could feel their single minded purpose. Her horrified stare stabbed past her approaching killers, looking for a miracle feat of escape.  
  
And then she noticed something.  
  
  
  
****  
  
  
  
Clark groaned and took a few seconds to clear his vision.  
  
By which time a looming, black clad figure dropped into his view of the starry night sky. He was still on his back and the person who had given Clark his first injury was standing over him - with a sword!  
  
Clark's mind was immediately focussed and he saw the sword blade slice downward. In a blur of speed, Clark was up and shot behind the ninja, expecting total surprise.  
  
He got surprised all right. A sharp black clad elbow to his cheekbone, knocked him off balance. The ninja spun, landed a heavy boot to Clark's chest and sent him reeling backward. The ninja deftly cartwheeled behind him, grasped his shirt in two massive fistfuls and launched him through the air toward the thick trunk of an oak tree.  
  
Clark soared through two tall spindly pine trees first, cracking them to splinters before he thudded into the sturdier oak. Pain shot through his neck and back and he crashed to the ground, unable to gather his senses.  
  
Unable to avoid the leaping ninja come down on him, landing squarely on his chest in a suffocating impact.   
  
Sword lofted high over his head, the ninja let it drop, tip first and delivered the killing blow.  
  
  
  
****  
  
  
  
Lana saw her shadow and her heart leaped.  
  
There was light coming from behind her, moonlight. She spun around and sure enough, she was in front of a window. Luckily it wasn't barricaded or barred. She shoved the window open and looked out with dismay.  
  
She was two stories up and there was nothing but lawn or a concrete pathway to land on. She seemed to have no choice though. Glancing behind her, she saw a ninja shot forward to grab her. And stooped under his diving figure.  
  
He sailed out the window without a sound. Lana actually heard a soft thud outside and her insides contracted momentarily. The other ninjas saw their comrade fly out the window and seemed slightly perturbed.  
  
They edged forward more aggresively, all of them, all with their swords drawn. Lana looked out the window and saw the dead body of the ninja outside... but then he moved! A twisted arm snapped up and bent back to it's familiar position and the man lurched to his feet. He seemed as groggy as someone who'd just been hit by a water balloon. His bulging red eyes seemed ferocious in the moonlight and he turned his head back upward and seemed to stare straight into Lana's eyes.  
  
She drew back horrified and then spun as a ninja tried to grab her. Then she saw another chance! The ninja that had gone out the window was the only one blocking her path upstairs. Now it lay wide open and Lana resumed her original plan, without a clue of what to do once she got the Torch offices.  
  
She was quicker than before and shot down the corridor to the door of the offices. For a fleeting moment, she goggled in horror at the abstinate doorknob, unable to unlock it and push through. It can't be looked she screamed in her head. No!  
  
Then she twisted it harder in a clockwise direction. And fell through the doorway. She slammed the door shut and snapped the lock just as a ninja thumped at the door.   
  
She suddenly had time to appraise her situation and realised that it was a matter of time before the ninjas hacked through the wooden door with their swords, or even kicked it down. She needed to barricade the door!  
  
Her eyes grew as she saw the state of the offices. Everything was trashed, upturned furniture, smashed computers and scattered papers coating the carnage. She saw most of it through the moonlight shining through the windows.  
  
The thudding at the door grew deeper and more methodical. Lana knew they were trying to kick it down. She looked about for some furniture to barricade it with. There! A filing cabinet!  
  
She grabbed it as best she could and heaved, but the darn thing stayed lodged in it's place. She pushed harder, her muscles screaming as they turned to lead. Her breath was short and her heart was painfully protesting at the strain.   
  
The thumps became more vicious and she heard a crack. They were breaking through! Still, the damn cabinet wouldn't shift the short distance to a position as Lana's saviour. With all her effort, Lana never even searched for an alternate escape route. She needed to get that filing cabinet into place.  
  
The cracking, began to sound like tearing as the door was pummelled. In seconds they would be in and time would be up. Lana's eyes whelled with tears of frustration, anger, fear... why was this happening?  
  
A door hinge popped loose. Lana heard it, the thumping and tearing and cracking sounds were all a horrible symphony for her own demise. "Damn it MOVE!" She yelled at the filing cabinet. Time was running out.   
  
Then the thumping stopped. Lana wasn't fooled, somewhere inside her, she knew that there was a final barrage coming. They were preparing to break through in one final rush. She didn't stop trying to push the cabinet in front of the door.   
  
She didn't stop until a hand fell on to her shoulder.  
  
  
  
****  
  
  
  
The sword tip bit into Clark's chest! It's tip sunk a short way before Clark reached up and clasped the ninja's grip in one hand and the sword blade in the other.  
  
He focussed with all his might and bought all of his strength seething to the surface. Clark was surprised though when the ninja matched his efforts and continued to exert his own pressure. The battle of wills, of huge strength raged in quietitude until Clark yelled.  
  
The sword flew skyward as the ninja was kicked away. Clark wasted no time, ignored his injury and struggled up against the oak tree. He felt like he'd been hit hard by a baseball bat, squarely in the chest and his head throbbed more than ever. It was will power alone that kept him from throwing up.  
  
Clark saw the ninja flip to his feet and stalk toward him, ready to resume his assault. But something inside Clark snapped him into a crystal clear focus. He never wished to exert his power openly or at full strength, it was to dangerous and truth be told, he was afraid to know the extent of his full power. What if he were to strong?  
  
But all that was out the window, to survive, he had to stop hiding his stength and let fly. As the ninja closed in, Clark launched a lethal punch at the ninja's chest, vengeance, fear, fury all balled up into it.  
  
And completely missed. The ninja stooped below it, then sprang into the air and spun to deliver a kick to Clark's chin.  
  
And he too missed! Clark grabbed his ankle and then like a hammer thrower, spun him around at a blurring speed and released him toward the face of the main building. The ninja flailed through the air, slicing head first through the air and then slamming into the main wall.  
  
He seemed to explode on impact in a white flash of sizzling sparks. A puff of gray dust clouded the air around the spot where he died and then fell away.  
  
Clark slid back down to the ground. His pain was almost unbearable. It roared through his body, upsetting every little thing it's tentacles could reach. Then he heard a scream from the second floor.  
  
Clark's fear grew. The night wasn't over. "Lana!" He cried.  
  
  
  
****  
  
  
  
Lana screamed as she felt the hand grasp her shoulder.  
  
"WHOA! It's me, Pete. Let's get this thing in front of that door!" He urged. Lana didn't argue and simply gave over the last threads of strength she had in her. They pushed together and the filing cabinet lurched.  
  
"One more time!" Pete yelled. They pushed again and the cabinet skidded the short distance. Just as it covered the door, the a fist smashed through and plunged straight into the cabinet. It withdrew immediately.  
  
"What's going on?" Lana cried. "Who're they?"   
  
"I don't know, but I think they killed Chloe" Pete said.  
  
Lana stared in shock at Pete's darkened face. She couldn't see his expression, but she wore her own mask of surprise and shock. Then everything that happened crashed down on her and she doubled over, wanting to hurl.  
  
"Come on, help me find her and let's get outta here!" Pete said.   
  
Lana restricted the hot, sweet flow of bile sneaking up at the back of her throat and then focused on following Pete through the carnage. "Here she is!" Lana said.  
  
Chloe looked as if she were asleep. Her face wasn't in the moonlight, so Lana and Pete couldn't see her expression. "Chloe?" Pete said softly. He nudged her arm. "Chloe wake up"  
  
Lana put a hand on Pete's shoulder, he barely noticed. "Come on Chloe" He urged. "Come on, there's a story happening right here and now, you want to get the exclusive now don't you?"  
  
"Pete... Pete let's pick her up and find a way out of here"  
  
"Okay" Pete hooked his hands under Chloe's arms and gently lifted her. Her head fell back and-  
  
"Ouch! Hey watch it"   
  
"Chloe!" Pete exploded. He pulled her into a hug.  
  
"Hey Mister Ross, watch it" She said. Her tone sounded cheery, without a hint of grogginess. "What's with all the after-school affection?"  
  
"I thought you were dead" Pete admitted. "I'm glad you're okay" He released her gently and Lana took her turn to offer a hug.  
  
"Lana? When did you arrive?"   
  
"A while ago now, what happened?"  
  
"Well... me and Pete were-"  
  
The filing cabinet jumped. A booming crash resonated. "Oh my God! They're coming through!" Lana said.  
  
"I remember!" Chloe blurted. "Those ninja guys busted in here - they're still around?"  
  
"Ah ha" Pete said.  
  
As if to back him up, the filing cabinet screeched. They couldn't see it, but one of the ninja's had punched straight through to it's innards.   
  
"How're we gonna get outta here?" Pete asked.  
  
"Back door?" Lana offered.  
  
"Fire exit!" Chloe said.  
  
  
  
****  
  
  
  
Clark flashed into the building.  
  
In seconds he was confronted by four more ninja. They had almost smashed through the door of the Torch offices but now they relented that pursuit and turned to face Clark. His heart sank with a quiver.   
  
His last tangle with just one of the ninjas was a hard fought battle. Now there were four.  
  
Head pounding, chest burning and thinking way to fast, Clark charged toward them in a flash of speed.  
  
He broke up the small group, sending one crashing and then disintegrating on the wall opposite. One other fell stunned, but the other two stepped aside and caught him by the shoulders!  
  
Together they catapulted backward, smashing him into a wall. Clark recovered quickly this time, and landed back on his feet. The two ninjas rushed him, Clark dodged one kick but got hit by a punch and lurched sideways.  
  
Then Clark lashed out with a backhand, whipping one ninja squarely on the side of the head. He punched the other in the stomach as hard as he could - and his fist plunged straight through! The ninja looked down and then back up at Clark before sizzling apart in sparks and flashes of white light.  
  
Stunned himself, Clark didn't see the second ninja draw his sword and swing. It cut into his arm and Clark roared in agony. The ninja tore his sword free of the wound, but before he launched another blow, Clark ducked and punched his knee out. It dislocated and bent completely the wrong way.   
  
The ninja toppled over with a shrill animalistic scream. His sword clanged to the ground. Clark scrambled for it, but it was knocked away by the third ninja. The one Clark had completely forgot about.  
  
His sword was drawn and it was poised like a guillotine over Clark's exposed neck. His strength seemed to be bleeding away, but Clark drove his shoulder as hard as he could into the ninja and sent him off balance. With the last remaining dew drops of strength, Clark whipped out a massive punch and knocked him down.  
  
The sword clanged away and slipped along the floor coming to rest in a shard of moonlight. Clark caught a gimpse of it and his eyes locked in a stare of surprise. The blade was glinting in the moonlight, but it had an aura glistening around it. A green aura. That would explain the damage he'd taken from them. But how were these ninjas so strong and powerful? Were they kryptonite mutants?  
  
A massive hand clomped down on his back and he was pulled up by his collar. Clark tried to grab behind him but he was turned around by the ninja, who controlled him with the power of one arm. Then Clark witnessed the ninja remove his hood.  
  
Beneath the ninja's mask was a creature that doesn't exist. It's pallid face, long V shaped nose, curled back at the end to expose two nostrils and finally, most horribly, the red domes Clark supposed were simply a part of his mask, were actually his eyes. They had no pupils, no iris's, there was simply a strange red fluid swirling beneath the thick red lenses.  
  
A grin split it's face and long rows of shark teeth, framed by oversized incisors, grinned in Clark's face. "This should be fun!" The creature, a vampire, Clark was sure, said. It's voice a deep, sizzling baritone.  
  
Before Clark could defend himself, the vampire's jaws clamped over his throat and he felt pain as the teeth passed through his flesh.  
  
  
  
****  
  
  
  
Pete and Lana helped Chloe through the wreckage, charging toward the fire exit at the back of the office.   
  
"God, the Principal's gonna kill me" Chloe said.  
  
"Chloe! In case you hadn't noticed, someone already wants to kill you and me and Lana!" Pete screeched.  
  
The trio spilled into the partitioned editor's office and immediately made for the fire exit door. Pete pushed it open slightly and then waved everyone through. "Coast's clear, come on"  
  
And suddenly, they came across Clark and one of the ninja entwined in what they finally realised was a bizarre kind of attack. The ninja heard them and looked up, baring his blood smeared teeth and grimace, locking eyes with Pete for a moment.  
  
"Nooo! Let him go!" Pete yelled. Without thinking about it, he charged at him. The vampire suddenly screeched, a blood curdling wail that rivalled the shrill scream of a diving hawk.  
  
Then suddenly, shafts of light burst from his mouth, then out his bottom jaw and finally speared through his head. The light grew and grew, becoming more intense with each struggling gesture the ninja made. His hands flailed, as he tried to hold together his disintegrating head. But finally, in a roar and a dazzling flash of sparks, his head exploded. The rest of his body vapourised in a similiar display.  
  
Pete stood shocked. Clark was bent over on the floor, choking and rasping in ragged gasps. "Clark! You okay?" Pete asked, skidding up to his friend's side. "Oh man, you're badly hurt"  
  
"I'll be alright" Clark said and he was beginning to feel better, but the bite on his neck burned and itched. "Where's-"  
  
"Clark!" Chloe cried. "Oh my God!" She dropped to the floor beside him and tried to fiddle with his blood torn shirt to see his wounds. "Are you alright?"   
  
"I'll be fine, how's Lana?"  
  
"Fine, but you need some help" Lana said softly.  
  
He looked up at her gratefully. And then he stared in shock.  
  
"Lana! Look out!"  
  
  
  
****  
  
  
  
The hallway behind Lana was caked in solid darkness, impenetrable. The shards of moonlight that shone through the window at the end of the hallway was blotted out. And from the preternatural darkness, several figures melted into view. More ninjas.  
  
Lana spun and backed away quickly. Chloe and Pete were frozen beside Clark. Clark himself had nothing left in his tanks. He was spent just trying to resist the barrage of pain he felt from his injuries.  
  
As the darkness slithered away, a platoon of ninjas stood in it's wake. When the moonlight returned, shining through the window. It happened.  
  
  
  
****  
  
  
  
Blade estimated the jump correctly and lifted the bike into a strong take off and leap, shooting straight toward the window.   
  
As he came up to it, he saw some of the ninja turn. They saw his shape sailing through the night, Blade on top of his modified ducati coming straight at them. They drew concealed uzi's and aimed.   
  
As they fired, Blade slid back of his seat, drew his gun, held on with one hand and fired back. The Superman Seat Grab One Hander. The perfect defensive and offensive manoeuvre. As the ninjas opened fire, the bullets clanged against the armoured underside of Blade's ducati.  
  
Blade's shots landed true, shattering the window and annihilating three of the ninja. As the bike came closer to smashing through the window, Blade slid back to his seat and lay low into his bike. He smashed through the glass and took out a chunk of the wall, the debris of which crashed into the surrounding ninja. He ran over those who weren't quick enough to get out of the way.  
  
He pulled up next to the four. Chloe Sullivan, Clark Kent, Pete Ross and Lana Lang. A brief cursory glance, then a swift reloading of his weapon. "Stay where you are" He growled.  
  
He got off his bike, drew another weapon and strafed the surviving ninjas. Sparks flew and the whole corridor was lit up by bright flashes. Thundering shots resonated through the hall. When he stopped shooting, there was only one ninja left. Blade holstered his guns and reached behind him.  
  
The low metallic note of the sword being drawn was matched a moment later by the remaining ninja. Both swordsman faced off and then charged and collided together in a jarring duel. Their movements were a blur, each blow landed with a speed and accuracy that most people would find confounding. Clark watched, tracking everything.  
  
Finally the ninja broke off the furious fusilade of his attack and tried to launch a kick at his opponent's leg. Blade caught it and punished him, twisting his foot around and spinning the ninja through the air, landing him on his face. Then Blade lunged and sunk his sword through the ninja's back, piercing it's heart. A flash, sparks and a gray dust cloud and the ninja was gone.  
  
Chloe, Lana and Pete shrank away from him as he approached. He sheathed his sword and walked up to Clark, pushing his head from side to side, examining the bite. He had seen Clark in battle and knew he was extraordinary. Blade wasn't sure if he could kill him before he turned.  
  
"Hey, what're you doing?" Pete asked.  
  
"Who are you?" Lana demanded.  
  
"You better-" Chloe started.  
  
"I can save him" Blade cut in.   
  
"What?"  
  
Blade didn't stay and explain, he reached down, hooked Clark's arm and hawled him up over his shoulder with no sign of strain.   
  
"Hey! You - you be careful with him!" Chloe yelled as she followed after him. Pete and Lana searched each other's expressions and then made up their minds to follow.  
  
  
  
****  
  
  
  
Robert was pulling overtime thanks to his buddy calling in sick. Most likely from Florida or Venice beach. He snorted and consoled himself with the overtime that he was earning. A goodly sum. Especially for watching absolutely noth-  
  
"Who goes there?" He challenged, smirking inwardly at the cliche he'd heard millions of times in old war movies and westerns. The line that everyone said before the shooting started in a surprise attack.  
  
A dark coated man carrying some sort of drunk, by the look of it, stalked up to the guard booth. Three other people followed a short distance behind him.  
  
Robbie stayed conscious for three seconds afterward.  
  
  
  
****  
  
  
  
Lex sat behind his desk, perusing his stock reports when the main doors to his study flew open.  
  
A man, dressed as an urban commando in a flowing dark coat, carried a sagging Clark through the door. Chloe, Lana and Pete followed. "What's going on here?" Lex asked, placid.  
  
"Your thugs have missed the mark and now your friend's dying" Blade roared at an astonished Lex. "Now give us the cure you've been working on"  
  
Lex walked over and examined his friend. Without hesitation he hoisted the ever sagging body of Clark Kent over his shoulder. "This way" Lex said, leading everyone off. 


	5. Into The Valley Of The Shadow Of Death

Disclaimer: This is what happened. One day I went totally beserk and decided that I'd plunge the characters of Smallville into an insane adventure that moved so fast it gave me a headache, that had so many twists it gave me a brain cramp, that was just pure fluffery and fun that it made me drug free high! So to Warner Bros and DC comics I apologise for grabbing your characters and taking them with me. If you want them back, I'll have them restored and returned as good as new! Also to Stan Lee and Marvel comics - I took Blade when you weren't looking... I'll give him back right away! As soon as he's helped me out here... if you want to sue me, the joke's on you! But if you want me to take the story down - I can do that! Todd McFarlane, I gave Spawn a brief mention below, so should I add your name to the 'People Who Want To Sue Me' list? Hope not! Thanks.  
  
  
Foreword: Thanks to all the great reviewers! If you've got questions, suggestions or anything to share [deep breath] feel free to express them, in plain candour if need be. After all, it's not as polished as I want it, but the first vision of a story is usually it's truest and best. I'm giving this to you guys as something to get lost in. Hope you can enjoy! Happy reading!  
  
Footnote: I can't really mark footnotes in text files so I'll have to highlight this now. To AHobbitLassRosie - I know a little about the DCU. I understand that Superman is a giant solar cell, evident because his powers manifest themselves because of the Earth's yellow sunlight. So I imagined that if there was a vampire with strong enough chompers to hack into Clark Kent, he would definitely receive a fatal surprise. If you read the previous chapter, I took your idea and visualised as best I could. Thanks!  
  
  
  
  
~They Mounted Their Horses And Charged In All Directions~  
  
  
The sniper paid careful attention to his 'Starlight' display screen, set atop his .50 calibre sniper rifle.  
  
The main doors of the Luthor ancestral home were reflected through the display, illuminated in an errie green glow. Simply by amplifying the light of the moon, the Starlight system could make a nightscape look as bright as a cloudless afternoon on the beach.   
  
Suddenly a small group exploded from the main doors. Two males in the lead, carrying a third incapicitated man between them. The sniper quickly focussed on their faces, ran them against the target identifications he had in his head and began to lower his trigger finger gently around the gun's trigger.  
  
There were three more people behind those first three. Six in total, but only one that was meant for the sniper. They were all tracking down toward one of Luthor's Porches. The sniper estimated he had under ten seconds to align his shot and take it...  
  
  
*****  
  
  
"Clark, you still with us?" Lex asked.   
  
There was no audible response. Clark's eyes were lightly closed and he swung drowsily between Lex and Blade.   
  
"He'll be fine once we get him to the plant" Blade rasped evenly.  
  
Lex stole a fleeting glance at the man who spoke, mildly annoyed. "How did you know-"  
  
Blade raised a black gloved hand, palm forward. "Take us there" He ordered.  
  
When they reached the car, Lex hastily opened the door and lowered Clark into the seat. "There's only room for two" Lex said.  
  
"Fine, I bought my own wheels" Blade said.   
  
Chloe stormed in front of Blade, looking up at his face with the most intense expression she could muster. "We're coming with you" She demanded.  
  
"No" Blade said coolly. He turned toward the main gate and began crunching off down the gravel driveway. Chloe stared in stunned silence, then she turned on her heel and raced after him.  
  
"Chloe!" Pete called out, seconds before he left in pursuit. Lana looked on helplessly and choose to follow Pete.  
  
"Chloe, come -" Pete called.  
  
The first shots knifed apart the rest of his words.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
The sniper checked his starlight display and noticed one of the men was down. He couldn't see which one, so he quickly appraised the remaining targets and concluded he got who he came for. He shut off the display and slowly pulled out of the spot he'd been waiting in for ten hours.  
  
Swiftly moving along the south wall, he came to the corner where there was a blindspot in the surveillance cameras field of vision and leapt the 12 metre wall in an agile forward flip. He landed soundlessly on the other side and swiftly melted into the night.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Pete was on the ground.  
  
Lana froze in mid step.  
  
Blade took Chloe by the shoulders and pushed her flat to the ground. He drew his two giant machine pistols and looked, listened and felt for the source of the shots. He could see as clear as day, even through his wrap arounds. He could hear a heartbeat and sense breathing from an immeasureable distance. All he had to do was focus his instincts.   
  
This time though, the shooter was gone. Blade knew what that meant before he'd even checked the others. He had got who he came for.  
  
Lana was stuck. Her feet were encased in concrete. She knew what was happening but couldn't force herself to move. She braced herself for the feeling of a bullet tearing into her, whatever that felt like.  
  
She wimpered as she felt something go past her. There was no pain, except for the thunderous shock in her chest. The fear released a maelstrom of anxious blows inside her stomach. But something didn't feel right...  
  
She opened her eyes and saw Blade's shadow moving from behind her. She turned to follow it and then stared at the motionless form Blade was walking toward.  
  
Lex was down and not moving.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Matt McCarthy drove through the still country backroads of Smallville. He opened up on the gas a little more and had it almost to the floor. He was already behind schedule.  
  
Flashing lights. Red-blue, red-blue, red-blue. Cops!  
  
A single sheriff's department patrol car was parked at an angle across the road ahead. McCarthy pulled back his leaden foot and slowed back to the speed limit. He dipped his headlights before rolling up to a lanky, tired looking deputy.  
  
He rolled down his window. "Evening, what's going on?" He asked cordially.  
  
The deputy tipped back the rim of his hat as he leaned down to talk. "We got an accident up ahead, I'm just waiting for the paramedics and some back up" He said. His dark sullen eyes looked drained and the sallow rings underneath them added to his corpse like expresssion.  
  
McCarthy was trained to notice this, and as a soldier he knew how to take advantage of it. "You like tired" He commented. The deputy bobbed his head as a slight acknowledgement. "I've got some coffee here if you'd like a cup" McCarthy offered politely.  
  
"No, I cou-"   
  
"It's no problem officer, I'll just get my flask, could you grab a mug from the back seat there?"  
  
"Well thank you" The deputy said. "Back here?" He asked.  
  
"Yes"   
  
The deputy leaned in through the window. McCarthy had him in seconds. It was all over fairly quickly, but it was still a hard death.  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Up ahead, Doug Jameson stayed as still as he could. Pinned between the steering column and the back seat, his chest seemed ready to cave in. But he tried hard to stay conscious, relying on the words of the lone deputy who had arrived some time ago and had promised to get help.   
  
The car roof was compacted flat and the front of it had what looked like a huge shark bite out of it. It was his own fault he told himself underneath the staggering weight of intense pain. He should've paid more attention to the road and less time on compiling that proposal for the Kent's farm. He might've seen the horse wandering loose on the road then. But he hadn't and here he was.  
  
Then he laughed inside his own head, and noticed with some mirth that he was almost half insane from thirst. He was Doug Jameson, the man who could buy or sell the most exclusive properties. The Kent's farm would be his crowning triumph. That and the handsome remunerations and commission that Eric Pallantine would pay him.  
  
He lay in quiet agony, wanting to scream but not daring to, in case his lungs exploded. But just then the car lurched and he felt blood and sweet tepid bile rising up in the back of his throat. Then the world spun, end over end as if everything was in a tumble drier.  
  
As the car settled into the ditch by the side of the road, Jameson couldn't hold his agony in any longer and he screamed as loud and painfully as he could. As the oxygen escaped his lungs, the pain grew. But he quickly saw that it was a mistake to scream and he stopped as soon as he could.  
  
Just then he saw a blood spattered face drop into view through the windscreen. The pain ricocheting through his chest was to suffocating to loose another scream. But his eyes went unbinkingly wide. He squirmed in terror. The face smiled.  
  
Jameson noticed a pair of legs walking around to his side of the car and he reeled from the sight of them looming to a stop outside his smashed driver's side window. Then he saw a knee bend and shortly afterward, the bloody face came lower and looked through the short gaping distance between them.   
  
His last image was more horrific than any nightmare imagining. The cold dead hand of a monster reaching straight toward his face, before he passed into the eternal night.   
  
  
*****  
  
  
"Lex!" Lana called.   
  
Blade was already crouched over him as Lana jogged over. Chloe was just getting up, rubbing her shoulders with a grimace. Pete stirred a little but was lying prone on the ground.  
  
"How is he?" Lana asked, she wanted to come closer, but Blade's posture seemed defensive, so she stood close by. As he looked up to face her, a heavy feeling fell across her shoulders and suddenly she was very tired.   
  
Blade's face was typically unreadable and his tone was even. "He's dead". Rolling Lex's body over, Lana saw a dark centred, red smudge on his forehead. His eyes were half open, vacantly staring somewhere far away.  
  
Chloe got to her feet, saw Lana and that strange guy standing over by Lex. She considered the scene for a moment, creating an idea of what was going on in her mind before she saw Pete stir. A few careful steps toward Pete and she hesitated. There was a widening red patch spreading across the back of his shirt.  
  
Muttering a few 'Oh My God's' underneath her breath, she crashed to her knees beside Pete and tried to get him to sit up.   
  
"Ahhh! Watch it, I think I'm hit" Pete said in strained tones.   
  
"Come on, you've gotta sit up Pete" Chloe urged, she disregarded a fragmented memory of keeping an accident victim still and tried to crane him upright.  
  
"How about that?" Pete said weakly.  
  
"What?" Chloe grunted, trying to elevate Pete's torso upright. "How bout what?"  
  
"I thought you were going to die back at the Torch offices..." He let a hiss slip between his teeth, as pain stabbed through his shoulder. "And it turns out I'm the one who's gonna buy it tonight" A few strangled guffaws escaped his grimacing face.  
  
Chloe was horrified and bit her lip. "What a drama queen". She said firmly, but she was glad Pete couldn't see the concern she felt whelling up in her eyes. "Guys! I need help!" She cried out.   
  
In seconds Blade was there and lifted Pete like a piece of tissue paper. Pete yelped as Blade moved his arm around, examining the bullet wound and the damage it may have done. "You'll live" Blade concluded.  
  
Chloe paid close attention to Pete. "Are you sure?" She asked. Blade never answered her, instead he turned away and walked back to the porsche where Clark was. "What's your name?" Chloe cried out after him.  
  
"Blade"  
  
  
*****  
  
  
Matt McCarthy arrived in Metropolis a couple of hours after his run in with the law. He followed the main traffic along busy streets that snaked through heavily built up business areas. He noticed the people surging along the walkways.  
  
He knew he had crossed to the "other side of the tracks" when the traffic flow dried up. The model of cars grew older and the sidewalks lost their luster, with empty looking individuals treading along it, as if on death row.  
  
McCarthy proceeded past that and turned into the truly dead part of a city - it's abandoned industrial area. Huge warehouses flew past on both sides of him as he drove between them. All except one had their main doors closed.  
  
He entered into a preternatural gloom. The doors rumbled shut behind him and McCarthy felt a painful gout of anxiety rupture in his stomach. He tried to look out his windscreen but it was to damn black. It would've been strange to him, such darkness in the middle of the morning, if he didn't know what it meant already.   
  
He was coming.  
  
McCarthy got out and stood by the open door. Seconds later an athletic frame melted into view. The sound of the newcomer's footsteps rang out through the darkness and then stopped. McCarthy couldn't see his face, but he didn't have too. He knew who it was.  
  
"It's done" McCarthy said.  
  
"Why did you kill Jameson?" The man asked.  
  
"What? How'd you know about that?"  
  
"Jameson was important to our plans, you should've helped him, not fed on him" The man stated, his tone flaring.   
  
"I'm sorry!" McCarthy jibbered. He sensed the mood around the presence of the man suddenly become weightier and intensely darker. McCarthy wondered how he knew, it was only a few hours ago and it wouldn't have made the news yet... noone would discover those two yet, not the way he had left the bodies.  
  
"There's more work for you to do" The man said, sounding suddenly disinterested in what happened to Jameson. "I want you to watch over someone"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"One of my warrior children. Steer him toward trouble and make sure he uses all of his powers to the best of his ability. If he doesn't become a Hell Spawn in double time, I'm going to enjoy pulling off your arms and legs and eating your intestines" The man assured him.  
  
McCarthy stumbled for a response, but could only nod.   
  
"He's down in the slums, go find him and do what I told you too"   
  
McCarthy kept nodding numbly and stumbled back into his car. But he mustered up the courage to ask one question, sure that he wouldn't die now because of his new assignment. "Why did you want me to kill Lex?"  
  
"Weren't you paid enough or something?" The figure asked.   
  
McCarthy nodded feebly, but secretly wished he had been paid by Luthor himself, before he blew his brains out. That and the shitload of pay he was being promised now would've bought him a small island in the Carribbean.   
  
The big warehouse doors rumbled open behind him and he started his car. As he reversed back he thought he heard the man, who was still only a shadowy image despite the invasion of light through the main doors, call something strange out to him. He shook it off as he backed out and made his way toward his new assignment.  
  
But if he had listened closer...  
  
"Don't worry Matt, I'll tell Lex you said hello" Kane Slater said. 


	6. Vicissitude

Disclaimer: I've used the characters from Smallville without authorisation of Warner Bros and DC comics. Same with Blade, sorry Stan Lee and Marvel Comics. Who would've thought it Stan? DC an Marvel together as one. Let peace and prosperity reign. Yeah right.   
  
Foreword: A long long long long time ago, in an idea that seemed so so so so good a fanfic author with meagre abilities decided to stake his sanity on a crossover fanfic that took some of his most loved characters on tumultuous journey's inside his own twisted imagination. The author eventually lost his way but found it again thanks to prompting from a messenger of Hope, Deanine. Sadly, the author was unable to seek his redemption because the UPLOADING FUNCTION IN HIS ACCOUNT WOULDN'T ACTUALLY UPLOAD ANYTHING!!! Not that the author was bitter or anything. My apologies for the centuries it took get this new chap up.  
  
*****  
  
Time froze for Lana as she gently looked down on the fallen form of Lex Luthor.  
  
Tears that had been squeezed from her overwhelmed and frustrated emotions began to streak down her cheeks as she quietly knelt down and closed his eyelids extinguishing Lex's far off gaze forever.  
  
Chloe helped Pete slowly rise to his feet and he leaned heavily on her shoulder. "Hey, you're not dying" Chloe protested.  
  
"I could be"  
  
"Promises promises" Chloe said, grinning wickedly at the surprised expression that dropped onto Pete's face.  
  
"I'm hurt" He said.  
  
"I know you are, but like I said before - you're not dying"   
  
Pete chuckled and lifted some of his own weight off Chloe's shoulder in a melodramatic sigh.  
  
"What do we do now?" Pete asked.  
  
"We should get back inside and call an ambulance and the cops" Chloe began to move toward the mansion, but Pete didn't budge.  
  
"What about Clark?" He asked.  
  
*****  
  
Blade considered his options.  
  
He thought he could do this, but now everything had changed. Lex Luthor had been working on a cure to vampirism in a secret underground facility beneath the Smallville Fertilizer Plant. He had been associated with Deacon Frost, met him at a nightclub and offered to become partners in a new chain of nightclubs that was to be opened in Metropolis.  
  
Blade grinned. Fortunately for Metropolis, Blade had killed Frost before then, preventing him and Luthor from opening up, what were in fact not nightclubs, but all night snackbars for hordes of suckheads. It seems though that Frost had managed to pass something on to Lex before his demise.  
  
He considered it all for a second and reached a conclusion. Frost wouldn't send a cure for vampirism to Luthor, no one even knew if there was one. No, Frost would've sent the RNA for the vampire retrovirus itself. Luthor would've somehow engineered a cure, simply to have leverage as a business partner. The kind of leverage that breaks spines of course.  
  
Priorities had changed. His mission now was to save Clark Kent. After seeing him in action back at the High School, he knew that if this young man was turned, he would become the most powerful vampire on Earth. But without Luthor to lead him to the cure, there seemed to be no way he could be saved in time. Blade had a certain compassion for the heart he saw that young man fight with and he truly would've hated to destroy him - if he could.  
  
Worse still, the bite of a Kobejitsu vampire was fast acting. Their extraordinary strength, agility and stamina would go directly toward enhancing Clark's own special abilites. Blade braced himself as he thought of what a terrible monster that young man would be.  
  
And in an instant he knew what to do.  
  
*****  
  
"Hey you! What're you doing!" Chloe yelled.   
  
Blade stalked past Lana and moved toward Clark. He swiftly extracted him from the porsche and hefted him into a fireman's carry.   
  
Lana saw Blade walk off with Clark, down toward the main gate. Reluctantly she tore herself away from Lex's body and ran to catch up with him.  
  
"Lana wait! We need help" Chloe called. Lana nearly skidded and fell on the gravel as she turned on her heel and went back toward Chloe and Pete, hooking his arm over her shoulder.   
  
"Wait!" She yelled to Blade.   
  
Blade took no notice and was almost at the gate. Chloe, Pete and Lana stumbled after him. "We'll have to get you to a hospital Pete" Lana said. She gave furtive glances in Blade's direction and felt a panic rise through her.  
  
"Wait!" Lana cried as she saw Blade walk out the gate and seemingly vanish out of sight. In an instant, she dropped Pete's arm and began to scramble off, but as she got further down the driveway she stumbled to a stop. Blade and Clark had disappeared.  
  
Chloe and Pete came up behind her. "What do we do now?" Chloe asked.  
  
Lana leaned forward, hands on knees and breathing in ragged gasps.   
  
"Perhaps we should go back to the mansion and call for some help" Pete suggested, hissing slightly as he struggled to overcome the exquisite pain radiating from his shoulder. "I'm sorry for slowing you all up" Pete said.  
  
"Oh be quiet Pete" Chloe chided gently.   
  
"It's okay, let's get you some help" Lana said, straightening herself and wiping at her eyes.  
  
The roar of a powerful engine shattered the moment and gnawed on everyone's frayed nerves. A dark black SuperCharger blasted through the main gate and headed straight for them. All of them stepped aside as it stopped on a dime in front of them. The passenger door popped open.  
  
"Get in" Blade said.  
  
*****  
  
Clark didn't know where he was, but he felt like he was burning alive.  
  
He thought his head was lying on someone's lap and his forehead was gently being caressed. There was the feeling of motion beneath him and a few murmurs in the background. Perhaps people talking.  
  
The burning was beginning to cool to a numbness and suddenly Clark was feeling great. Lighter than air in fact. Still he couldn't move. Strange images flashed through his head and he cringed inwardly at the grotesque scenes being depicted. Were they coming from his own mind?  
  
And as the burning cooled, he began to feel very thirsty.  
  
*****  
  
Chloe petted Clark's forehead as gently as possible, hoping it was bringing him relief.  
  
Pete sat beside her, his eyes locked intently on Clark's sweat glistened face. "How's he doing?" He asked.  
  
Chloe shook her head. "I don't know" She replied softly.  
  
Lana sat up front in the passenger's seat beside Blade, who drove unblinkingly fast through the streets of Smallville. "Where're we going?" Lana ventured to ask.  
  
Blade didn't respond at all. Lana's expression became a twisted scowl. For the first time tonight, she felt pissed off and decided to tell someone about it. "Hey! Tell us what's going on!" Her rigid tones flooded the inside of the car and made everyone look toward her. Lana didn't care.  
  
Blade was the only one unmoved. He continued to coolly navigate the car through the quiet streets. Lana readied herself for a fresh tirade, when he spoke up. "Clark was bitten by a Kobejitsu Vampire and we're going to find a cure at the fertilizer plant", He kept his eyes on the road during the whole explanation and never turned to gauge everyone's reaction.  
  
Lana's energetic sense of inquiry dialled down and she seemed to shrink back into the seat, struggling to formulate a new question. "What makes you think there's a cure there?" Chloe spoke up.  
  
"Luthor found one and it's there" Blade said matter of factly.  
  
Chloe tried to turn all her reporter instincts on to working out that answer but fell into the typical investigative trap of finding new questions to answer. "What the hell is going on?" Chloe asked as forcefully as she could. Blade was a mysterious presence, he acted as a friend but behaved very distantly. Only he knew where everyone was going and what was going to happen next.  
  
Blade hated wasting time on explanations. He hated wasting time by picking up all these 'strays'. Therefore it surprised him when he answered her question.  
  
"What you said about those crop circles is true. They're symbols from the Book of Erebus and what's happening in Smallville is a 'Resurrection'. The remaining members of each tribe in the House of Erebus are being called here to perform a ritual that only they know" Blade paused as he concentrated on taking a hard turn onto a dirt road. He scanned through the darkness ahead of the headlights and then continued talking.  
  
"The ritual of 'Exodus' requires the sarifice of a thousand vampires to liberate the Dark God Urizen. Once he's released, it's all over" Blade said finally.  
  
Everyone rode in silence as Blade's words dissipated into their thoughts. Pete felt a stinging ache prodding through his shoulder. When he grimaced, Lana asked him if he was okay. Pete nodded with only a small effort to keep a straight face.  
  
"I really think we should get him to a hospital" Lana said.   
  
"We can either go to a hospital and put a plaster on your friends wound, or we can let him bleed while we go to save your other friends life" Blade said coldly.  
  
Lana was taken aback, frustrated and angry once again but the words to express it died around a lump in her throat. Chloe looked down on Clark, she could see his eyes working beneath his eyelids. Was he dreaming?  
  
*****  
  
Clark saw a field of pale, naked corpses, laying serenely in a flowering meadow in the warm afternoon sunlight.  
  
Spires of flames engulfed his vision and were then washed away, replaced by the view of someone's face. The man had blue eyes, spiky brown hair and a pallid complexion and he was laughing. Twisted red chap lips underneath the cruelest eyes Clark had ever seen.   
  
The face stopped laughing, but held a terrifying grin. It loomed closer toward Clark and said: "Welcome to Hell!"  
  
The burning stopped. Clark bolted upright. He was very thirsty.  
  
*****  
  
Chloe yelped in surprise.  
  
Clark was up and he struggled like a lion tangled in chains. "Clark! Calm down it's me-" Chloe tried to say but Clark didn't seem to hear her. Instead he twisted violently over her and began to scramble toward Pete.  
  
"Clark!" Pete saw the dagger like gaze of his friends stare. He was looking straight at the blood circle that had soaked through Pete's shirt. It was a look he didn't like to see on his friend's face. He backed up against the door, trying to escape Clark's long reach.  
  
Clark grabbed his arm and began to squeeze and lurch him closer. Pete yelled. The strength of his grip was incredible. Surprised and now very afraid, Pete felt himself being pulled toward someone who looked like his friend, but who acted like a - vampire! Pete actually began to think to himself how incredibly stupid it was to make huge discoveries on the brink of personal annihilation.  
  
Chloe didn't realise Clark had turned and tried to lay her hand gently on Clark's shoulder. He whipped and twisted, reaching across and grabbing at Pete. Chloe looked on horrified. Lana frowned at the scene, but she quickly understood why.  
  
Blade slammed the brakes and everyone lurched forward. Lana and Blade had worn their seatbelts, while Chloe and Pete slammed into the rear of their seats. Clark however was funnelled between the seats by the shock of the jolt and crashed through the windscreen. He travelled over the hood and tumbled out into the bright glow of the headlights.  
  
"Damn" Blade cursed out loud.  
  
Clark lay on the ground, his back to the headlights. As Blade got out of the car, he drew his gun and growled. As he took careful aim, Clark moved and then slowly began to rise. As he rose, the headlights reflected off his red lit eyes - and his huge kanine like incisors. Blade braced himself.  
  
Clark thought he felt great. Stronger, faster and completely free to show it all off. He moved to leap at Blade and received a blast to his chest. He staggered, looked down and smiled grotesquely.  
  
Blade didn't smile back. He emptied the rest of his clip at Clark and immediately noticed that it had no effect. Holstering his weapon, he leaned back into the car, warning the others to stay where they were. When he came back up, he held a large ultra violet torch and aimed it at Clark. "Enjoy" Blade said. He flipped the switch and the powerful beam splashed over Clark.  
  
Vampires couldn't stand daylight, the UV rays caused a marked degradation in cellular integrity. They blew up. But Clark didn't even blink. The light was as harmless as an ordinary flashlight.  
  
It wasn't a good option, but it was his only one. Clark was preparing to leap, so Blade threw the UV light back in the car, drew his sword and charged toward him.  
  
It was time for a test of strengths.  
  
*****  
  
Lex woke up in a small room. He thought it was a small room anyway.  
  
It was dark and there was no light, yet he thought he could see or rather 'sense' movement. As he opened his eyes a little more and looked a little harder, he realised something.  
  
He was suspended in darkness and it was moving, writhing like a pit of snakes. He got quickly to his feet and tried to back away, but no direction was 'away' and he stood stock still in the midnight glow of this small 'room'.  
  
"Hey dee ho Lex!" Someone crowed. "What brings you to my humble corner of hell?"  
  
Kane Slater slipped into view from literally nowhere. Lex found himself able to keep a straight poker face and act calmly. He mustered up a supreme Luthor confidence that he would soon find a way to control everything that was happening. "Who are you?" Lex asked, placid.  
  
"Why I'm Kane Slater" He bowed deeply as if on the Queen's royal court. "The Master of the first sphere of hell".  
  
Lex chuckled. "Interesting. So this would be hell?" He asked.  
  
"The very first sphere" Kane said proudly. "This is where everyone comes". He leered at Lex and raised an eyebrow at the new arrivals unphased demeanour. "This'll be interesting" He commented.  
  
"I don't know what's going on here but I'd like to leave now"  
  
Kane smirked and then cast a killer look over Lex. "I ain't got time to mess around, so here's a crash course on how to be a polite resident of hell" Kane smiled viciously as his transformation began.  
  
His back began to hunch over and his head shot forward. At this point he resembled a vulture. Lex shifted away, but found himself watching it all with morbid curiousity. There came a slurping, tearing sound and instantly Kane's outter layers of flesh and clothing fell away. What rose in it's place was a tri horned demon, dark black deadened eyes inset to the side of it's head. It rose to at least eight feet in height and it's broad frame unfurled, with insectoid limbs branching from it's body.  
  
Lex tried to run, but it seemed like he wasn't making any distance. Then came the crashing pain of Kane's telepathic message.   
  
"Hell's got a special plan for you Lex and you have no choice but to see it through" Kane laughed heartily.  
  
Lex froze.  
  
*****  
  
Authors notes: It's strange. You can start writing with only a vague idea of what you want and by the end of it, it looks nothing like what you wanted. I tried hard for action, but got a lot of drawn out explanations just to keep the story in check.   
  
Updates might be scarce for the future but thanks greatly to all you who reviewed and I apologise for the 'flux' of these instalments. I'm sure you've noticed by now that writing isn't my calling, but I did love it when people who read it got a kick out of it! :) Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading. 


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